Published: Monday, January 6, 2014 at 2:53 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, January 6, 2014 at 2:53 p.m.

Grief counselors were at West Port High School when school reopened Monday, eight days after a biology teacher was murdered during the holiday break.

West Port Principal Jayne Ellspermann called in the counselors to help students and staff members deal with the death of Latalia “Nikki” Robinson, 32, who was shot and killed by her estranged husband, Dean Hamilton, 33, during a Dec. 29 murder-suicide.

“Ms. Robinson will be missed,” a somber Ellspermann said. “We needed to make sure the proper people were in place for those who needed support.”

Ellspermann hired a substitute teacher “with a science background” to teach Robinson’s classes until a full-time teacher can be hired.

The counselors were dispatched out of the district’s headquarters. The “Crisis Team” consists of psychologists and social workers. Officials looked for grief-stricken teens and staff members needing crisis intervention.

“Any time there is a loss of a peer or a teacher, we need to have people on hand,” Ellspermann said.

In Robinson’s obituary, family members described her as “supermom” to her children — Aaron, Leah and Rachel — whose ages range from 7 to 11.

Officials with the Forest Meadows Funeral Homes and Cemeteries, 725 NW 23rd Ave., Gainesville, said the family requested that visitation and funeral details not be published.

“I worked with Latalia very briefly in Gainesville; she always had a beautiful smile and an upbeat personality,” wrote one Ocala resident in a Star-Banner sponsored obituary guest book.

Robinson was shot multiple times with a Taurus .40-caliber handgun, which Hamilton usually kept in his vehicle. He later turned the gun on himself, officials said.

The woman was discovered in the bed of the couple’s Rainbow Lake Estates home, while her husband was found close by. Robinson’s three children discovered the bodies.

The couple were married in March 2004, with divorce proceedings first launched in October.

Robinson wrote in a court document that Hamilton went to West Port and made threats. Ellspermann reported the incident to law enforcement.

An Ocala Police Department report states that Hamilton told Ellspermann more than a month ago that he believed Robinson was romantically involved with someone at the school.

This death is not the only tragedy that West Port has had to deal with this school year.

In August, West Port student Angel David Guevara Arenas, 20, died when his BMW veered into oncoming Southwest 20th Street traffic. Two other students were seriously injured.

A six-person crisis team was sent to the school to help students and staff get over that tragedy.

“Fortunately, our students and staff don’t have to deal with death alone,” school district spokesman Kevin Christian said. “Our grief counselors are compassionate, concerned and caring individuals who listen intently and offer appropriate advice on how to deal with death. It’s not something we specialize in but, unfortunately, it is something we deal with occasionally as a school district.”

<p>Grief counselors were at West Port High School when school reopened Monday, eight days after a biology teacher was murdered during the holiday break.</p><p>West Port Principal Jayne Ellspermann called in the counselors to help students and staff members deal with the death of Latalia “Nikki” Robinson, 32, who was shot and killed by her estranged husband, Dean Hamilton, 33, during a Dec. 29 murder-suicide.</p><p>“Ms. Robinson will be missed,” a somber Ellspermann said. “We needed to make sure the proper people were in place for those who needed support.”</p><p>Ellspermann hired a substitute teacher “with a science background” to teach Robinson's classes until a full-time teacher can be hired.</p><p>The counselors were dispatched out of the district's headquarters. The “Crisis Team” consists of psychologists and social workers. Officials looked for grief-stricken teens and staff members needing crisis intervention.</p><p>“Any time there is a loss of a peer or a teacher, we need to have people on hand,” Ellspermann said.</p><p>In Robinson's obituary, family members described her as “supermom” to her children — Aaron, Leah and Rachel — whose ages range from 7 to 11.</p><p>Officials with the Forest Meadows Funeral Homes and Cemeteries, 725 NW 23rd Ave., Gainesville, said the family requested that visitation and funeral details not be published.</p><p>“I worked with Latalia very briefly in Gainesville; she always had a beautiful smile and an upbeat personality,” wrote one Ocala resident in a Star-Banner sponsored obituary guest book.</p><p>Robinson was shot multiple times with a Taurus .40-caliber handgun, which Hamilton usually kept in his vehicle. He later turned the gun on himself, officials said.</p><p>The woman was discovered in the bed of the couple's Rainbow Lake Estates home, while her husband was found close by. Robinson's three children discovered the bodies.</p><p>The couple were married in March 2004, with divorce proceedings first launched in October.</p><p>Robinson wrote in a court document that Hamilton went to West Port and made threats. Ellspermann reported the incident to law enforcement.</p><p>An Ocala Police Department report states that Hamilton told Ellspermann more than a month ago that he believed Robinson was romantically involved with someone at the school.</p><p>This death is not the only tragedy that West Port has had to deal with this school year.</p><p>In August, West Port student Angel David Guevara Arenas, 20, died when his BMW veered into oncoming Southwest 20th Street traffic. Two other students were seriously injured.</p><p>A six-person crisis team was sent to the school to help students and staff get over that tragedy.</p><p>“Fortunately, our students and staff don't have to deal with death alone,” school district spokesman Kevin Christian said. “Our grief counselors are compassionate, concerned and caring individuals who listen intently and offer appropriate advice on how to deal with death. It's not something we specialize in but, unfortunately, it is something we deal with occasionally as a school district.”</p>